Greg Newman appointed district attorney

Former Hendersonville Mayor Greg Newman has been appointed to fill the district attorney seat for Henderson, Transylvania and Polk counties.

By Emily WeaverTimes-News Staff Writer

Former Hendersonville Mayor Greg Newman has been appointed to fill the district attorney seat for Henderson, Transylvania and Polk counties.Newman took the oath of office from Judge Emily Cowan at the Henderson County Courthouse Friday afternoon. A larger public ceremony welcoming Newman is scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 23 during a special session of District Court.Newman, an attorney with experience on both sides of the courtroom, vied for the seat left vacant by former District Attorney Jeff Hunt, who stepped down in May after 19 years to serve as a special Superior Court judge.Hunt was one of at least three appointments of Special Court justices made this year by Gov. Pat McCrory, who appointed Newman to take his place.“It’s going to be a big change for me and for them over there, too, (in the district attorney’s office),” Newman said. “I’m very excited about starting.”Newman served nearly a decade as a prosecutor in district attorney offices in Ohio and Tennessee before returning to Hendersonville in 2000 to become a defense attorney and later mayor. He campaigned for Congress in 2010. And when Hunt stepped down, his friends encouraged him to submit his name for the top prosecutor seat. Newman says he feels honored to have been picked to serve by McCrory — a fellow Republican he came to know when McCrory was serving as mayor of Charlotte and Newman was leading Hendersonville.Newman’s first day of work in the district attorney’s office is Monday. He will fill the remainder of Hunt’s term, which ends in 2014, and plans to campaign for the seat next year.“I enjoy campaigning,” Newman said. “I actually look forward to running next year.”He believes his experience as a defense attorney and as a prosecutor has allowed him “to become fairly well-rounded” and hopes it will guide him in his new leadership role. “I have a greater appreciation for what defense lawyers have to go through,” Newman said. He added that he looks forward to working with a “good staff” in his new office.Prosecutor Doug Pearson has been serving as acting district attorney since May.Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.